But there's a place we come together (heh): The Beatles. A conversation we had the other day in the wake of the "Hey Bulldog" rave-up revealed that we share a lot of the same favorite non-hit Beatles songs. From there, an idea was born.

So in the spirit of John Lennon and Paul McCartney's songwriting partnership we decided to collaborate on writing a piece listing our favorite, lesser-known Beatles songs and take turns explaining why we think they're… so heavy.

I Me MineNick:A taut, unjustly forgotten gem — and one of the few songs Phil Spector didn't muck up on the Let It Be project. Here, his swirling strings add the perfect portent as Harrison delves into a favorite subject: How we're all really bastards, deep down.

Pico:Phil also gets props for picking out the best take, which was only a minute and a half long, and deftly stretching it to full-song length. Even this song-lengthening edit survived the de-Spectorization that occurred for Let It Be… Naked. George lashes out at the mighty human ego on "Mine," which is in a way an ironic counter-point to "Taxman" (tackled below). This is also the last song the Beatles recorded prior to breakup, and John wasn't even around for it.

Hey BulldogPico:I already covered this one back in July, but one thing I failed to note back then was George's contribution. Consistent with the relaxed mood prevalent during the February, 1968 mini-sessions, Harrison reels off a loose, jangly solo characteristic of his knack for providing not the most flashy guitar work, but the one that fits the song just right. He was like having a crack session guitarist inside the band.

Nick:This has the fun, loose and collaborative feel of the best of the group's early work, notable since by this point The Beatles were really just a backing group for whoever composed any particular track. As they howl, moan, and bark their way through a rollicking little aside, you remember not just what made these two remarkably listenable rock composers — but also what made Lennon and McCartney friends.

Getting BetterNick:I relish Lennon's drive-by cynicism on fluffy little tracks like this from McCartney. Paul, as he often will, threatens to float right off while the soaring chorus builds behind him. But no sooner does he sing "it's getting better all the time," then we have Lennon dropping anchor: "Can't get no worse." "Getting Better" might not be the best example of this brilliant balancing act — for that, head over to the worn copies of "We Can Work It Out" — but it certainly ranks as a tucked-away favorite in the genre. Great guitar riff, too.

Pico:Musically, it's milking a single chord for all it's worth. Lyrically, it's as Nick noted, an example of the dichotomy of the sunny outlook of Paul and the skepticism of John. And like a brief afternoon thunderstorm popping up to spoil a perfect day, George swoops in with a tamboura while Lennon — via the lyrics — plainly alludes to his women beating days before Paul's eternal optimism breaks up the clouds again. That "magic" chord gets really pervasive at the end, courtesy of George Martin striking the strings inside a piano. Paul's cheerfulness wins the battle, but John's counterpoint makes that battle so much more interesting.

Good Day SunshineNick:A shimmering, head-wagging explosion power pop that has never, and can never, get old — because it's as deep as it is joyful. There's the rolling piano signature, that gauntlet-tossing finish (match that, Beach Boys!), and a lyric made for days when the weather is nice enough to roll down your windows and drive a bit.

PicoThe harmonies belting out the title really make this song special. Paul goes high while John handles the low notes. This unabashedly happy-go-lucky tune is one of the earlier instances where McCartney draws more from the music of his parent's generation than his own for inspiration. He would go overboard with that later but for now, his mojo is working.

TaxmanPico:Not exactly uncommon, but not issued as a single, either. George's anticipatory count off grabs the listener even before meaty power chords that shortly follow do. What's more notable are his lyrics: a direct attack on the British government for it's confiscatory tax policies. Political songs in rock music were still just getting started in 1966, and "Taxman" remains one of more ornery examples compared to the many that appeared over the following years. Sending young men to die at Vietman was outrageous enough, but hell hath no fury like taxing a man to death. NOTE: that wicked, skittering guitar at the instrumental break is not Harrison; Paul provided this short but memorable solo.

Nick:George was always good for a nasty putdown song, an impulse that would nicely balance his tendency toward hugs-and-Hari Krishna tunes later in life. This was one he got completely right. Now, that praise is tempered by the oft-told rumor that George used the theme song from "Batman," a favorite TV show of his in the 1960s, as inspiration for the melody. (Holy kitsch, Batman!) And that Paul did the guitar work. And that Lennon also helped with the lyics. (You can really see his fingerprint on the lyrics matching car/street, sit/seat, cold/heat and walk/heat.) Wait, what exactly did George do on this one, again?

No ReplyNick:One of the earliest Beatles songs with a complete story, inventive in that it has no chorus as such, and notable for the low rumbling tone of Lennon's voice — since it so completely captures the mood of a scorned lover. He builds to an anguished cry ("I saw the light" becomes "I nearly DIED") in an early glimpse of the pain that, up until this point, had been largely obscured by first-blush imagery involving hairstyle and yeah-yeah-yeahs.

Originally on Beatles for Sale, and issued on the U.S. edit Beatles '65, "No Reply" was an initial step down a path of personal revelation and unbridled honesty that would find its creative and artistic peak in Lennon's first solo release five years later. John reportedly wanted to sing the high harmony, handled here by McCartney, but couldn't coax his voice there because of wear and tear from the band's then-excessive touring schedule. "No Reply," a dark and special triumph, was better for it.

Pico:John had one of the best singing voices in all of rock 'n' roll. And I think it's mainly due to his unmatched ability to naturally project scorn, frustration, anger, and pessimism. Real rock 'n' roll often has those qualities, after all. That wonderfully ragged throat is on full display on "No Reply." Lennon's attitude comes across so effectively, you'd hardly notice that it's a rock 'n' roll song played with acoustic guitars, an acoustic piano and a slightly Latin beat.

Martha, My DearPico:A light, pop confection that served as a respite from all the weirdness and unpredictability that graced most of The White Album, Paul wrote this as a ode to his English sheepdog, which also adds to the appearance of this being filler. But when viewed with the benefit of hindsight, it is his Beatles song that most anticipated the kind of pop he had a great deal of success making with his seventies band Wings. Which means, as with his Wings best, it's a tightly constructed melody that's catchy as hell. If he had chosen to re-record the song during the Denny Laine days with a little more production added to it, he would have easily had another hit on his hands.

Nick:Confectionary, sure, yet somehow unforgettable. I listen, each time, in wonder — thinking: McCartney can write a song about his flipping dog, and I like it.

Mother Nature's SonNick:Think about what follows on this record: a song about a monkey, a song about a roller coaster (or, the clarion call of end times; who knew?), the oh-so-appropriately titled "Long, Long, Long," a vaudeville tune, a song about a dessert treat, several minutes of noise loops and a nighty-night lullaby, among others. On a hodge-podge compilation where everybody goes all over the map, McCartney often provided the centering point — and never better than on this one.

Pico:This is a very simply constructed; as a teenager playing mediocre guitar, I was able to self teach myself the song rather easily. But Paul's straightforward folk hymn had simple beauty to match; it flowed out naturally and George Martin's orchestral arrangements that gently nudge their way into the song on the second verse provide just the right amount of heft without needlessly weighing it down.

Dear PrudencePico:After breakup, Lennon often mocked Paul's ballad tendencies, but John was just as capable to pour syrup as his erstwhile songwriting partner. "Prudence" was not just one of his best ballads, it was one of his best songs, period. Inspired by that ill-fated trip to India in 1968, the song's lyrics reads like a letter; a letter to actress Mia Farrow's sister, actually, both of whom had also made the pilgrimage to see the Maharishi. The descending chord progression is sublime and the backing vocals are just a tad creepy; creepy enough to tell you that this is Lennon's song, not McCartney's. Although Macca provided a mighty sweet looping bass line (as well as the drums, since Ringo had briefly quit the band).

Nick:I think, on most days, that this is one of my favorite Beatles songs. And I can't always say why. After all, Lennon showed he could out-McCartney McCartney with these lyrics: The sun is up, the sky is blue — it's beautiful, and so are you. Maybe it's that there is a simple beauty here, an open-hearted emotion that Lennon didn't often allow himself to express. I never want this tune's simple charm, or that bassline, to end.

You Never Give Me Your MoneyPico:Paul's song that kicks off the famous medley on side two of Abbey Road is a four minute mini-medley itself. It begins with a piano stating the melodic line of the first part and McCartney singing about not being given any money (what is really meant here is unclear to me). Soon, it transitions over to a more up-tempo rhythm and mood with Paul singing much like he did for "Lady Madonna." And then after some tasty lead guitar work by George during a second transition, the song enters the "sweet dreams" section. So, the song is really a pasting together of three seemingly unrelated frgments, but it works because all fragments are catchy and the harmony/backing vocals throughout are first rate; nearly as good as the rich vocals that graced Lennon's "Because" right before it.

Nick:One of the initial song-cycles-within-a-song concepts by McCartney. Too bad Paul was just getting started. By the time we get to Wings' "Red Rose Speedway" a couple of short years later, McCartney has transformed a pretty good idea into nothing more than a handy way to tidy up his work station. But even those mashed-together edit jobs of half-finished song ideas can't tarnish this terrific effort. When I only have time for a moment with Abbey Road, you'll find me here, enveloped in a towering achievement that manages to fit in the personality, verve and specificity of each band member — even while deftly recognizing, by the final repeated chorus, both the hopeful optimism and crashing cynicism of the 1960s. I know, that's a lot. It's all in there. The last best thing this group ever did.

Nice article chaps:
Taxman always seems kind of mean-spirited from someone who went on to embrace rather more non-materialist philosophies and, despite the super tax rates, was very wealthy, All Things Must Pass George don’t sweat your tax rates. Still, the guitar solo is absolutely extraordinary and it’s a cracker. Absolutely No Reply as well, a real driver.
I’ve got less time for Mother Nature’s Son than you, Macca at his sickliest.

I’m always amazed by I’ve Just Seen A Face from the Help album – often derided as throwaway I just think it’s a cracking race-along pop song.
There are far too many others to mention but I’ll try and match your ten:

I’ve Just Seen A Face. I’m Looking Through You (rather similar I’m sure you’ll agree), She Said She Said, Don’t Bother Me (George being curmudgeonly again! But I love the surliness this time), Things We Said Today, Baby You’re A Rich Man (for the groove), Glass Onion, Sexy Sadie, In My Life (too well known?), ohhhh, and Cry Baby Cry….

The list will change in my head in 25 seconds anyway but there are some top tracks there I’d contend.

“I Need You” – I found a new appreciation for this one after Tom Petty sang a great version of it at the Concert For George. The song gets a bit trumped by other tracks on the Help! soundtrack, but it’s a lovely song nonetheless.

– Donald

Steve

“You Know My Name, Look Up The Number” is one of my favorite Beatles songs.

zingzing

ahh, wonderful. i’ve been on a beatles kick recently…

“no reply” has always been a favorite, to the point where i have, several times, declared “beatles for sale” my favorite beatle album. beatle-tastic! i love the bossa-nova-esque beginning, the wonderful release of the “i saw the light” bit, which is a wonderful bit of literary whatsit. the song is much like “good vibrations” and “happiness is a warm gun” in its multiple sections, and wonderfully ignorant of its own brilliance (it seems). and ringo’s off-time cymbal crash just before the ending is so dramatic. definitely two minutes of beatle-beauty. oh yes. (and the following two numbers are no slouches either.)

“you never give me your money” is probably paul’s best undervalued song. it’s just so damn good that, even as a john fan, i have to question my own preconceptions. paul could certainly whip it out, and how. lyrically, you’d expect this to be a john song. structurally, it’s as brilliant as “no reply” (or “hiawg”), but it, in typical paul fashion, knows it. how paul could put such gorgeous, ambitious music around so much personal gripe… just shows how much talent he could toss around.

*dunno about that first bit, but the “magic feeling” is probably about paul lamenting the loss of the beatles’ particular synchronicity or something.

“One sweet dream
Pick up the bags and get in the limousine
Soon we’ll be away from here
Step on the gas and wipe that tear away
One sweet dream came true today
Came true today
Came true today (yes it did)”

Well, I figured in a vague sense “You Never Give Me Your Money” had something to do about the battle Paul was fighting against the rest of the Beatles, but except for a few lines, the lyrics made no sense to me.

I’d have to rate their best unsung gem as “The Night Before” from the Help! soundtrack. It never gets any airplay, yet has a great hook and one of Macca’s best vocals sung in the “rock” voice.

I’d go with “Hey Bulldog” as a close second. As far as Pepper tracks, I always liked “Lovely Rita” a lot — great psychedelic harmonies on that one. With “White Album”, I always liked George’s “Savoy Truffle” a lot, as well as John’s “Happiness Is A Warm Gun.” Moving on to Revolver I’d have to say…oh shit, where does it really end with these guys?

-Glen

Chaz

she said she said,it’s all too much,cry baby cry,yer blues,i want you(she’s so heavy),not a second time,i’ll be back,i want to tell you,i need you,tomorrow never knows,every little thing….just to name a few,i agree….my mind will come up with others in a few minutes….thank you

johnozed

‘any jobber got the sack’ refers to Apple employees who got fired when Allen Klein came on the scene and cleaned out 3 Saville Row.

My personal faves,

Tomorrow Never Knows
You Know My name(Look Up the Number)
Baby You’re A Rich Man
It’s All Too Much
She’s A Woman (Reverb version)
The Word
Cry Baby Cry
I Want To Tell You
Rain

Jeri

Things we say today. for no one ,fixing a hole she said she said , i will, i need you , oh darlin ,

I have yet to hear a Beatles song I didn’t like. My favorite being ‘She Came in Through the Bathroom Window’. Having not been born in the 60s but rather the way late 80s and my parents being too high to remember any of their childhood, I can say I do not know if it was a fan favorite.
But, a close few ties for second are the cliche classics: ‘I Wanna Hold Your Hand’ (it’s so simplistic and innocent), ‘Here Comes the Sun’ (first song I EVER heard in my life), ‘Michelle’, and a favorite among the pseudohippies in my school- ‘I Am The Walrus’

JC Mosquito

There’s plenty of Badfinger tunes that SOUND like the Beatles’ greatest hits they never made – I never tire of those ones.

Nowheremanontherun, I believe the song is Fixing a hole. (But clever name and great song choices.)

hi

Golden slumbers?

SomeDude

Happiness is a warm gun is a great one.

wassup

Got to get you into my life. Also had a great cover by Earth, Wind, Fire.

Chris

Hi! In Martha My Dear Paul uses his dog’s name but the lyric is a defiant/unrepentant yet guilty/hurt/pleading address to his ex-fiance Jane after she left because of his affair/s – i.e. a post-break-up song from the ‘guilty party’. In the verses he admits that he still loves her and thinks they’re meant to be together etc., yet the chorus addresses his affairs when he tells Jane to be more understanding and to not be silly – that “when you find yourself in the thick of it, help yourself to a bit of what is all around you”…

Fiendish Thingy

Really great article guys! If I may I would like to make a list of my person lesser known Fab Four favs. So her we go:

You Like Me Too Much
I Will
Rocky Racoon
Bad To Me
Take Good Care Of My Baby (though it may not be there’s)
Another Girl
The Night Before
I Need You
And LOTS of others (:
Thanks for this fantastic article and I hope you agree with me OH! And I almost forgot the song How Do You Do It! (: anyways…thanks a lot (like my name? Its a thingy! A fiendish thingy!)